1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrating storage and more particularly relates to integrating redundant array of independent disk (“RAID”) storage in a blade center.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing centers are increasingly employing blade centers to deploy multiple servers. A blade center typically includes an enclosure with a communications back plane. A plurality of server blades are mounted within the enclosure. In addition, each server blade is in communication with the communications back plane. Each server blade includes one or more processors, memory, communications logic, and the like that enable the server blade to function as a server as is well known to those skilled in the art.
Integrating the server functions into a server blade may reduce the cost and administrative overhead of running a data processing center. Server blades can easily be replaced. For example, a first server blade may be replaced by removing the first server blade from an enclosure and by mounting a second server blade in the enclosure. In addition, adding server blades to an enclosure can quickly add processing capacity to a data processing center.
Like stand-alone servers, server blades often require access to one or more storage subsystems. A server blade may store and retrieve large amounts of data on the storage subsystems. In addition, the server blade may share data with other server blades through the storage subsystems. For example, a storage subsystem may include a database. A plurality of server blades may access the database, reading data from the database and writing data to the database. The database may employ data locks on accessed data within the database to maintain coherent data.
Unfortunately, storage subsystems are not as easily managed as server blades, For example, a storage subsystem may require communications channels from the blade center to a storage area network (“SAN”) or the like, communications channels between the SAN and the storage controllers, and additional communications channels between the storage controllers and the storage devices. Configuring and maintaining the communications channels requires additional administrative overhead, increasing the time required to add storage elements and make replacements. The administrative overhead is particularly significant for RAID systems, which include a plurality of storage devices.
From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for an apparatus, system, and method that integrate RAID storage in a blade center. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would reduce costs for the RAID storage used by a blade center.